Together in Tartarus
by HunterofArtemis32
Summary: Annabeth stood a few feet away from Percy, not wanting him to feel her shaking or hear her trying to silence her tears. She didn't know what went wrong. Major spoilers from the Mark of Athena.


**This one-shot has been re-written a few times and I finally figured out what I wanted to do with it. Based on two drawings by the amazing burdge_bug and the other artist, I don't know their name, but it inspired me :D**

**SETTING: Percy and Annabeth just fallen into Tartarus.**

**SUMMARY: Annabeth stood a few feet away from Percy, not wanting him to feel her shaking or hear her trying to silence her tears. She didn't know what went wrong.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not the mean Rick Riordan, who would leave such a great book at an ending like that!- I'm gonna stop myself before I go on a rampage.**

**TARTARUS: **

Annabeth stood a few feet away from Percy, not wanting him to feel her shaking or hear her trying to silence her tears. She didn't know what went wrong.

The quest had gone perfect in the end. Yes, she had a broken ankle but that could be fixed. She had found the Athena Parthenos. She was reunited with Percy. Her mother would be proud of her. Yet it still went wrong. Her foot got caught in Arachne's web, and she went tumbling towards the pit, and Percy jumped after her. They hung from the edge; holding onto each other with all their strength. Annabeth suggested he let go; Percy swore he would never leave her again. He yelled something at Nico, who agreed, and together, the two of them fell together, hand in hand.

Her ankle had some-what healed from the ambrosia, and they found her backpack- after having a meeting with Arachne which ended with Annabeth stabbing the monsterous spider to death. She hated spiders with everything in her, especially after the encounter with her- so Annabeth could walk but Percy still offered to carry her sometimes. If it was a normal quest, she would decline and tell him she was no damsel in distress. However, Annabeth bit back the comment and accepted, allowing him to carry her whichever he liked: bridal style, piggy-back. There was one time he threw her over his shoulder, causing them both to laugh.

Laughter. She missed that. She missed their friends. She missed her family at Camp Half-Blood. She missed her family. She missed Sally and Paul and their welcoming home. She missed the gods and their constant requests of statues and memorials on Olympus. She missed her cabinmates. She missed Chiron. She missed Percy; more precisely, being able to be with Percy without feeling guilty. Guilty for dragging him here.

"Annabeth," Percy whispered laying a hand on her back.

She took a step forward, not wanting his comfort. It was all her fault. The quest going the way it did, him being here, them being away from finding the Doors of Death. Annabeth blamed herself.

"Annabeth," he repeated softly and stroked his hand down her arm, stopping at her hand and lacing their fingers together. "Annabeth, please look at me."

She allowed herself to be turned around and Percy took her head in his hands. "Percy..." She took a deep breath and a tear streamed down her dirty cheek. "It's all my fault."

"What are you talking about?"

She grasped his wrists, feeling his heartbeat underneath her fingers. Annabeth closed her eyes and focused on that one thing. "Us being here. Everything that happened."

Percy wiped at her cheeks. "It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is!" Annabeth hissed, her eyes watering up against her will and she closed them again, not wanting to seem weak. "If I didn't go on the quest, this wouldn't have happened."

"You can't blame yourself," he told her, wanting her to believe it.

She shook her head. "Percy, why did you follow me? You were supposed to let me go. You shouldn't have followed me in here."

He brushed a blonde strand of hair out of her face. There was a glint of light coming from somewhere in the darkness and they could see each other- barely, but it was enough. Her face was covered in dirt and her curls were dusted with cobwebs, but Percy couldn't think of time she looked more beautiful. There was a splatch of blood on the bottom of her chin, and her orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt had a small rip on the side, showing her tan skin underneath. The usual glint in her eyes was there, telling Percy that she was in battle mode.

The corners of Annabeth's mouth lifted into a small smile- the first time in days. "Are you gonna answer my question or are you just gonna stand there, staring at me?"

Percy grinned, moving his hand from her cheek and rested it behind her neck. His other hand went down to hers, bringing it up to rest against his cheek and rubbing his thumb over her scarred knuckles. Annabeth's insides jumped when she felt his warm skin against hers.

The past eight months was a very hard time for her. She missed Percy. Gods, did she miss him. She missed his laugh, his smile, his beautiful sea-green eyes, his corniness, his hugs, his expressions when she tries to explain a new thing to him, his kisses... She missed everything.

Annabeth, in a way, went into a depressed mode. She would hold her ground in front of campers and at school, but in her own time, she would break down and cry. She slept in his cabin and visited his mother on the weekends. She wore his hoodies and started ordering blue Coke with every meal. Her main focus was finding Percy, besides school and plans for Olympus. The daughter of Athena never felt happiness again until she saw him at the Roman camp.

"I already lost you once," Percy finally answered and Annabeth swallowed the lump in her throat at the strain in his voice. "I wasn't going to lose you again."

Annabeth smiled. "I love you, Perseus Jackson."

Percy pulled her in closer and kissed her. Annabeth sighed, knotting one hand in his hair and gripping his T-shirt with the other. He pushed the quest into the back of his mind and focused only on Annabeth. There hasn't been any moments for them to enjoy each other's company except the night in the stables and their lunch in Rome, which Percy hated watching her leave. It was the hardest thing for him to ever do.

"I love you," Percy whispered.

He cupped her chin and kissed her gently on the lips. His hands slid down her back as Annabeth moved to wrap both her arms around his neck. They parted for a minute to catch their breath. Neither one of them released each other. She fit perfectly in his arms. Annabeth rested her head against his chest as Percy rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"We're gonna get out. I'll make sure of it," he said after a moment of silence.

Annabeth pulled back, but not out of his embrace. In the distance, there was a roar and both of them looked in that direction. She looked back at him, and said, "Together."

"Together," Percy promised.

**Lifehouse songs were inspiration for most of these scenes, but one song in general: From Where You Are, I believe, is Percabeth's song during the Son of Neptune. **

**The song 'Drip Drop' by Safura was inspiration for the kiss scene. It's such a beautiful song. I love the music. The lyrics don't really match with the one-shot, but if you listen to it while reading that part, it brings a lot of emotion (in my opinion). **

**Who else wants The House of Hades out NOW? I sure do. I'm waiting though... impatiently. **

**One-shots are gonna help me get through the rest of these painful months... **

**-HunterofArtemis32**


End file.
